Man shoots Kentucky officer after traffic stop, police say

PRESTONSBURG, Ky. (AP) — A man who fled from a traffic stop shot an officer in the chest and then barricaded himself inside a home for more than five hours, Kentucky State Police said Wednesday.

The officer, Adam Dixon from the small eastern Kentucky town of Prestonsburg, was in stable condition, state police Trooper Steven Mounts said. Suspect Robert Powers also was shot in the confrontation and suffered injuries that aren't considered life-threatening, Mounts said.

The incident began Tuesday night when Prestonsburg police tried to pull over Powers' vehicle, but he fled, according to police. Mounts says Powers drove to a house that was not his and continued to flee on foot.

One officer tried to use a stun gun on Powers, but it was not effective, Mounts said. He said Powers then pulled out a gun and shot Dixon. Officers returned fire and Powers barricaded himself inside the home, according to police.

Mounts did not say who owned the home.

Dixon was airlifted to a West Virginia hospital while Powers remained barricaded inside.

Mounts said Members of the Kentucky State Police Special Response Team were eventually able to extract Powers from the home, but he did not give details.

Mounts also said Powers was taken to a hospital with injuries from gunshot wounds but did not specify how the suspect was injured.